Algerian faces US charges linked to computer virus

(AP)—An Algerian man has pleaded not guilty to helping develop and market a computer program that drained millions of dollars from bank accounts around the world.

A 23-count indictment charges 24-year-old Hamza Bendelladj with wire fraud, bank fraud, computer fraud and conspiracy. He was extradited from Thailand and arraigned Friday in federal court. It's unclear if he has a lawyer.

Bendelladj is accused of being involved in a conspiracy to develop and sell SpyEye. The program is a banking Trojan, which was implanted onto computers to harvest financial information and drain bank accounts. The program impacted 253 financial institutions.

U.S. Attorney Sally Yates says Bendelladj leased a server from an unidentified Internet company in Atlanta to control computers.

A second person is named in the indictment but hasn't been identified.